Supramolecular Interactions in Sodium N -(Ethoxythioxomethyl)-β-Alaninate–Water (4/6) Crystal and Its Application in Synthesis of l -Carnosine

Compound sodium N -(ethoxythioxomethyl)-β-alaninate (sodium 3-(ethoxycarbonothioyl)propanoate) was synthesized and characterized by IR, 1 H NMR, ESI-HRMS and single crystal X-ray diffraction. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the title compound crystallized in the triclinic space group P −1 with cell parameters a = 10.142 (2) Å, b = 13.738 (3) Å, c = 15.751 (3) Å, α = 72.937 (2)°, β = 78.694 (2)°, γ = 89.999 (2)°, V = 2053.4 (7) Å 3 , D c = 1.464 g cm −3 , Z = 2. In the extended structure of sodium N -(ethoxythioxomethyl)-β-alaninate–water (4/6), (Na L ) 4 ·6H 2 O [ L = CH 3 CH 2 OC(S)NHCH 2 CH 2 COO], ligands ( L s) are stabilized by intermolecular O–H···O, N–H···O, C–H···O and weak O–H···S and C–H···S linkages, which further consolidate the crystal packing, making the ligand chains stacked along [0–1 1], and intramolecular O–H···S hydrogen bond is also observed. Each Na atom is surrounded with six O atoms, forming an octahedron and mutually bonded as tetramers. These tetramers are linked through O atom bridges from water molecules, extending as layers in the ab plane. In addition, synthesis of β-alanyl dipeptides was developed with particular focus on the preparation of l -carnosine. Graphical Abstract Supramolecular interactions in sodium N -(ethoxythioxomethyl)-β-alaninate–water (4/6) crystal and its application in synthesis of L-carnosine were studied.